German Foreign Ministry calls for withdrawal of troops in Donbas

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 12:00:11 PM

The German Foreign Ministry called for withdrawal of troops in the Donbas, which will open the way for the implementation of the Steinmeier Formula, reports UNIAN news agency, citing the press service of the German Foreign Ministry. The statement was made following the meeting of German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas with his Lithuanian counterpart Linas Linkevičius.

"The settlement of the conflict in Ukraine remains a top priority for Germany, as potential peace should have a positive impact on the entire region," reads the message of the German Ministry.

The German Foreign Ministry recalled that Germany and France recently spoke in favor of the next Normandy Four Summit.

"Maas is convinced that such a Summit could bring tangible progress for the population. For this reason, today, he appealed to both sides again to finally adhere to the agreed ceasefire and implement the withdrawal of troops. Because only then the Steinmeier Formula can be implemented and the implementation of the Minsk process will be restored," noted the German Foreign Ministry.

Earlier, Putin's press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that to date, the preparation for the Normandy Four Summit is not possible, since now the position of one of the negotiating parties is changing.

At a press conference in Kyiv on October 1, President Zelensky said that Ukraine had agreed to the text of the Steinmeier Formula at the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk.

He emphasized that elections could only take place in the occupied Donbas territories if Kyiv is given full control of the parts of the Russian border in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that are currently not under its control.

On September 12, Zelensky said that Kyiv would insist on a Normandy Format session in September. He said that the leaders of the four represented countries would discuss the “Steinmeier Formula and all aspects of the Minsk Agreements”.

The formula was proposed by former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He said that the Donbas should be given a “special status” on the day that elections are held in the occupied territories, with the simultaneous withdrawal of illegal armed groups.